SC to pronounce verdict between Nov 4-17 in Ayodhya matter

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions in connection with the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land dispute case.

The five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, today reserved its judgement, after a marathon of 40 days of hearing in the case.

It is expected and very likely that the judgement would be pronounced by the top court between November 4-17, as the CJI is going to retire on November 17.

While talking to media, Varun Sinha, Hindu Mahasabha's lawyer said, "Supreme Court has reserved the order and has made it clear that the decision will come, in this case, within 23 days."

As the proceedings today concludes in the case after 40 days, it turned out to be the second longest /lengthiest hearing ever in the history of the Supreme Court, after the Kesavananda Bharati case, which went on for 68 days, while the third one was a batch of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of Aadhaar case, which was heard for 38 days.

The four other judges, in the five-judge Constitution bench which heard the case, were - Justices Sharad Arvind Bobde, Ashok Bhushan, D Y Chandrachud and S Abdul Nazeer.

The apex court was hearing the case from August 6 this year, on a day-to-day basis (five days a week) after the mediation process, conducted by a three member Mediation panel, headed by Justice (Retired) FMI Kalifullah, in the case failed.

Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the September 30, 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement trifurcating the 2.77 acres of the disputed land at Ayodhya into three equal parts to Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara.

These three parties -- Ram Lalla, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara -- however, knocked the doors of the apex court challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict and sought modification of the High Court judgement.

( With inputs from ANI )